Everything Horses and Livestock® Magazine August 2020 Vol 5 Issue 3

Everything Horses and Livestock Magazine ®

Riding at Randolph State Park.

As trail riders start thinking about this fall riding destinations, there probably aren’t too many with Kansas at the top of their list. Those people are missing out on some prime trail riding and camping opportunities, according to Jim Thomas, Kansas Horse Council Trails Development Co-Chair. Kansas offers a wide variety of trail riding experiences and fully developed equestrian campgrounds, many complete with hookups, shower houses, and corrals. According to Thomas, back in the 1960’s and early 70’s, the US Army Corps of Engineers developed many multi-thousand-acre lakes throughout the state as a form of flood control. Both the federal government and the Kansas state parks system have developed recreational areas around these lakes. Over the past several years, many of these lakes have also developed trails (multi-use and single-use) and campgrounds for horseback riders. For those people who are thinking Kansas is flat and treeless, Thomas replies that he can hardly think of a single equestrian trail in the state that fits that description! Depending on the part of the state you are in, these areas can offer scenic trails through hardwood

49 Everything Horses and Livestock® | August 2020 | EHALmagazine.com